Archive for the ‘health insurance with maternity coverage’ Category

There was a time, not very long ago, that you were hard pressed to find health insurance as a pregnant woman. This pre-existing condition was the only reason needed for a health insurance company to deny a pregnant woman’s application for coverage. The Affordable Care Act has changed this former reality, according to “Health law gives pregnant women more options“. In the Associated Press article, it says that Medicaid will help to supplement private insurance plans bought in health insurance exchanges. Pregnant women who recently purchased private health insurance plans through the government exchanges will also be able to access Medicaid coverage from their state as well. This applies to lower-income women, but the income limits vary significantly from state to state. Some state limits are close to the poverty level, while others are more like a middle class income.

Did you know that Medicaid already pays for almost half of the births in the United States? This new expansion of Medicaid services to pregnant women will be effective in every state, even if they have not opted to expand their overall Medicaid system under the Affordable Care Act. Unfortunately the logistics of this Medicaid expansion are fairly complicated. States and the federal government are trying to iron out the details, so it is still complex for consumers to navigate. Overall though, it’s a good thing for women because they will end up paying less out of pocket. They have the option of using only their private health insurance, only Medicaid, or a combination of both plans if that is what will be best for their pregnancy scenario.

While the cost of insuring more women is going to be higher, there are anticipated lower costs overall. Taking care of a woman and her unborn child with good prenatal services helps to avoid the larger expense related to premature births and birth defects. Pregnant women without health insurance often don’t seek prenatal care and can’t be treated for problems that they don’t know exist. The Affordable Care Act made it so that health insurance companies must offer maternity coverage, even if the woman is seeking health insurance while she is already pregnant. For those lower-income women who bought private plans in the health insurance exchanges using federal subsidies, the original law stated that they were no longer eligible for Medicare. Then there was a ruling that said Medicare coverage did not meet the “minimum essential coverage” that the law requires because it is temporary and states can deny certain services. Now they can use their private plan along with Medicaid coverage. A woman might benefit from using both plans because her coverage will continue after she has the baby, but the Medicaid coverage could help with cost-sharing.

Maternity coverage is often an optional rider with health insurance, so if you are thinking of becoming pregnant or are a woman in her childbearing years, it is important to look for health insurance with maternity coverage. Most employer sponsored plans have maternity coverage included, but you have to be specific with individual plans to choose the right coverage. Having a baby in a hospital averages $6,000-$10,000 and can be even higher depending on whether you have a c-section or the baby has to have extra care. You want your maternity coverage to include visits to your doctor during pregnancy, lab work, hospital stays, sonograms and ultrasounds, prescriptions for pre-natal vitamins and any other medications you need, and care for your newborn.

Some individual health plans have a waiting period before you start receiving maternity coverage. If you have health insurance from a company like Fallon Health Plans, contact them to see what your coverage includes. For women who become pregnant before they have obtained health insurance, it is best to contact state or federal government agencies to see what help they can offer you. Unfortunately there are many risks associated with pregnancy for both the mother and child. Health insurance with maternity coverage is the best way to take the burden of the financial side of things away. Fallon Health Plans of Massachusetts is one of the best insurers in the US. You can look online to determine coverage and available doctors or call and speak with one of their customer service representatives. Most coverage plans will include everything you need for your pregnancy.